Tripod-stay.



No. 679,058. Patented luly 23, l90l. a. E. MELLEN.

TRIPOD STAY.

(Application filed. Dec. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT i105: EEIcE.

GEORGE EGBERT MELLEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRIPOD-STAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,058, dated July 23,1901.

Application filed December 24, 1900. Serial No. 40,915. (No model-J Toall whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE EGBERT MEL- LEN, of Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented a new, useful, and ImprovedTripod-Stay, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which similar letters of reference in thedifferent figures indicate like parts.

One object of my invention is to so construct a stay for the legs ofcamera and other tripods that the same may be detachably and adjustablysecured thereto in such a manner that the legs may be placed in anypredetermined position with the lower ends at varying distances from-each other in order to properly adjust the camera, and there socured,so that the instrument may not become accidentally displaced when onceadj usted for use.

A further object is to so construct said stay that it may be compactlyfolded for transportation, all of which is hereinafter more particularlydescribed, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tripod having myimproved stay attached thereto as it would appear in actual use. Fig. 2is an enlarged side view in detail of my improved clamping mechanism.Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 4. is a detail view of one of thegrooved locking-rings. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view in plan of oneof the tripod-legs, showing the detachable clamp applied thereto. Fig. 6is a side view thereof. Fig. 7 is an enlarged side View in detail of amodified form of rod-clamp, showing the same adapted to single rods; andFig. 8 is a plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, a, Fig. 1, represents the usual tripod-headfor the support of a camera, to which head the usual extensionlegs I)are jointedly attached. When the tripod is once adjusted to the desiredposition to meet the requirements of the camera, it is of the utmostimportance that the legs should be rigidly secured in place. This Iaccomplish by means of detachable adjust able stays or bracesconstructed as follows: Said stays consist of three members 0, arrangedto converge at a common point, where they are united by means of a clamp(1. Each member or brace consists, preferably, of parallel rods formedfrom a single piece of tubing or wire, as shown, upon the outer end ofeach of which is loosely attached an eye (1, which is in turn swiveled,as shown at a, Fig. 5, to a fiange m upon a clamping-plate f, having theflanges g h, arranged parallel to each other and to the flange m. Awasher or disk m is preferably provided to prevent the swivel fromwabbling. A thumb-screw 11 is passed through the part 72, which enablesthe clamp to be secured to the leg of, the tripod. A clamping-boltj,having ahead It, is passed between the parallel stay-rods c and isprovided with a thumb-nut Z for tightening it. Between the threeconverging rods there is interposed in the manner shown loose rings at,each of which is provided with grooves or notches 0 for the reception ofthe rods 0. A washer p is interposed between the thumbnut and the lastrod of the series. The tightening of the thumb-nut Z serves to lock therods rigidly in position, said rods being firmly clamped between thegrooved rings or revoluble clamping members.

The object of the grooved rings is not only to provide means for firmlygrasping the rods, but to enable the latter to be severally adjustedaround a common center to permit them to conform to the desired lateralmovement of any one of the tripod-legs independently of the others inadjusting the camera. To those who are familiar with the varyingconditions to be met in field photography it is well known that thecamera cannot always be placed level with the horizon, nor can thetripod-legs be arranged equally distant from each other if the besteffects are desired. Hence it follows that the lateral and othermovements of the legs should not within a given range be restricted.This adaptability can only be accomplished by having the rodclamp soconstructed as to permit these varying movements, which are attainedinmy device by means of the grooved rings and bracerods jointedlyconnected to the leg-clamps.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a modification of said invention in whichsingle bracerods q are employed, while the rings r,whicl1 are theequivalent of the rings n, have but a single groove 8 therein, the depthof which is less than the diameter of the rod which it is intended toreceive.

When single brace-rods are used, it is not necessary to swivel them tothe leg-clamps, inasmuch as they are free to turn within the grooves ofthe rod clamp or rings when the nut l is loosened. This latter movementis very desirable in fitting and adjusting the braces to the tripod andis secured in the preferred construction by means of the swiveled eyes6.

When the double or parallel rods are used, as shown in Fig. 3, it isobvious that the looped ends- 25 serve to prevent the several rods frombecoming disconnected from the rod-clam p. The same result isaccomplished in the construction shown in Figs. 7and 8 by enlarging orbending the ends of the rods q, as shown, for example, at M. Thisfeature of non-separability is of considerable advantage in that itprevents the parts from being lost, while at the same time it enablesthe stay to be more readily adjusted to the tripod.

I recommend attaching the stay to the upper sections of the tripod-legs,as shown in Fig. 1, having demonstrated in actual practice that it ismuch easier to apply itthere, and when soapplied the tripod maybe movedwithout placing an undue strain upon the usually slender tripod-legs.Moreover, the stay-rods when so applied may be made much shorter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A stay for tripods, consisting of legclamps, means for detachablysecuring one of said leg-clamps to each of the respective tripod-legs,con verging rodsjointedly connected with said clamps, and a rod-clampconsisting of a bolt and thumb-nut and loose interposed rings havinggrooves or notches formed in their meeting, faces for the reception ofsaid rods, whereby both a lateral and longitudinal adjustment may begiven to the respective rods independently of each other, substantiallyas described.

'2. In a device of the class described, the combination of stay-rods forthe several tripod-legs, clamps jointedly secured to their outer ends,independent rings having grooves formed in their meeting faces for thereception of said rods, and a bolt and thumb-nut for clamping the ringsand rods against each other, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality ofstay-rods, legclainps attached to their outer ends by means of a jointand swivel connection, and a clamp for engaging said stay-rods, saidclamp consisting of a bolt and thumb-nut and a series of clampingmembers loosely mounted upon I said bolt and interposed between saidrods, substantially as described.

l. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality ofbraces, each consisting of parallel rods formed in asingle piece,leg-clamps attached to their outer ends by means of a joint and swiveledconnection, and a clamp for connecting said braces at a common point,said clamp consisting of a bolt and thumb-nut and interposedclampingrings having grooves or notches therein for engaging said rods,said rings being free to rotate upon the bolt when not undercompression, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality ofstay-rods, legclamps jointedly attached to their outer ends, a commonclamphaving independent revoluble members for engaging and clamping saidrods, and means upon the free ends of said rods for preventing the samefrom becoming disengaged from said clamp when the latter is released,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses, this 20th day of December, 1900.

GEORGE EGBERT MELLEN.

Witnesses:

DWIGHT B. OHEnvEn, D. H. FLETCHER.

